The superpowers' principle strategy is to divide the people
We are thankful to the Blessed and Exalted God that all the communities of Iran; the brothers of the Shi`ah sect and the Sunnis, are striving side by side in brotherliness to implement Islamic percepts. Brothers and sisters: we are now living in an age when the whole world, all the countries, from here to the farthest reaches of the world, have become like one house. Something occurring in a town in the past would not concern any other town; the other town would not be aware of it. And even if it did come to know of it, the matter would not concern the other town. But the situation in our age is such that anything happening in a country is reflected in all the countries of the world; even the farthest ones, and become their concern. It is not that any differences arising among us are confined to one city or country such as Iran. The matter is reflected in all the countries of the world, and the repercussions felt everywhere. The current political situation of the world is such that all countries are under the political observation of the superpowers. They are watching every place and have plans in place to subjugate all other entities. One of their important designs is to create divisions between brotherly groups. Their basic political ploy is to sow discord under various names and in numerous forms between brothers.
The moral precepts of Islam being political
The moral precepts of Islam are also political in nature. This Qur'anic precept of all the believers being brothers «1» is an ethical, social and political one. If the believers- the various sects in Islam that believe in God and the Prophet of Islam- be as brothers unto one another, and have affection for one another just like brothers, then apart from this being a great Islamic moral precept entailing the best ethical behavior, it is also a great societal precept entailing the best social behavior. You can see that this period of time in which Islam has cast a faint shadow here, what blessed effects this brotherhood, that has developed in Iran, has had and what repercussions of divine compassion are felt in this country. This Reconstruction Crusade (Jihad-e Sazandegi) which has taken in all the different classes of the people under its aegis, and in which all our youths, from all the segments of the nation, are entering, has resulted in Islamic brotherhood developing among the youths. They are all brothers; they are like brothers in this country and, therefore, they look upon one another as brothers. Islamic brotherhood necessitates mutual assistance in this social sphere, and the development of this country that belongs to them, as well as cleansings (of undesirable elements) and reconstructing it.
Unity and fraternity; the source of victories
This (unity and fraternity) is a moral obligation that also encompasses social obligations. Apart from these, it also includes the political dimension. And the political dimension was the very thing that, as you all saw when the Iranians became united and were by one another's side in a brotherly manner, with all their thoughts on Islamic fraternity, the big powers were not able to withstand nor resist the brothers that had coalesced together. They just departed and went their way, although some of the rotten remnants are lying low among the people in the country. But these rotten remnants cannot break up this brotherhood in faith that is among you.
This bond of faith that the Blessed and Exalted Lord has commanded and contracted among the believers is not confined to the believers of Iran. It is not limited to a particular country. This bond of brotherhood exists among all the believers of the world. All the Muslim countries ought to be like brothers unto one another. If they are so, and if all the masses living in a country consider those living in other countries as their brothers, they will predominate over all the powers of the world. Do not think that if, today, something occurs in some corner of the world, the other countries will not become aware of it. The world of today is like one family. It is now a place in which every part of it is aware of what goes on in another. You see that whatever happens in a corner of the world is broadcast by this radio and television to other places. This bond of faith should be such that the (Muslim) countries do not have differences of opinion with one another. The Islamic countries ought to be friendly with one another. Our opponents are making many efforts in trying to create discord and differences in the countries- whether Muslim or non-Muslim- where the oppressed live. They want to separate them; they want to distance these countries from one another and to drive the Muslim countries apart. They want to separate the Islamic nations from one another. You thus see that their orators- those who profess Islam- while being in league with the Jews; I mean with the Zionists are making serious efforts, in whatever way they can, to sow discord among the Muslim brothers and separate them from one another. These are some political plots that the powerful countries want to carry out by means of their agents in the Islamic countries.
The bad impression created by the differences among the Muslims
The Muslims must wake up. They must be alert; today is not like yesterday. This age in which we live is unlike the past periods for each group of people to derive benefits only for themselves in the places they live. The interests of all the Muslim countries, today, are interrelated. The interests of Islamic Iran is closely tied to those of all the other Islamic countries. In case differences arise between the Iranians and the other nations; between our Shi`ah and Sunni brothers, it will be detrimental for all of us. The ones who sow discord are neither Sunnis nor Shi`ahs. They are the agents of the superpowers and are in their service. They who are trying to divide our Sunni and Shi`ah brothers are the ones that are busy in hatching plots for the sake of the enemies of Islam. They want the enemies of Islam to prevail over the Muslims. They are the supporters of the United States; some of them support the Soviet Union. The Muslims, wherever they be, ought to keep in mind that any discord today between countries- even the farthest ones, as distant as East and West- is not like what it was in the past. A problem arising in any corner of the world concerns the whole world; it is not confined to that place only. In case any discord arises among you brothers in Iran, it will concern the whole world. And were differences to arise between Iranian brothers and the Iraqi ones; I mean, the Iraqi nation, it would not only concern Iran and Iraq, but the whole world. The world will pay attention to the matter, and those powers that intend to plunder the world's resources and dominate other countries will exploit the situation. They will exploit the differences that- let us suppose- arise between our Shi`ah and Sunni brothers in Iran, and likewise, between our Iranian and Pakistani brothers. We must be awake; we must be aware that the divine precept:" The believers are naught else than brothers «2»" means that they are brothers and nothing else but brothers, and are duty-bound to behave as brothers with one another. This is a political precept which signifies the fact that if the Muslim nations, comprising approximately one billion people, be as brothers and behave like brothers with one another, they will remain unassailable, and the likelihood of any of the superpowers committing aggression against them will not exist. Our brothers must bear this in mind.
The need for the Reconstruction Jihad to be in tandem with the Jihad against the self
With regard to this Jihad-e Sazandegi (Crusade for Reconstruction) for which you brothers are working and are rendering valuable service, should bear in mind your inner crusade apart from your reconstruction activities. If, God forbid, something is done in this Reconstruction Crusade that goes against the good of Islam and the Revolution, it will give rise to despondency among the people. If some negligent people, God forbid, do something in contravention of the regulations laid down by the Islamic government, and create disturbances, it means that they have not carried out the inner crusade without which their reconstruction efforts are of no avail. You gentlemen who have undertaken such a noble task; one that is highly regarded in Islam, should not forget to observe that Islamic moral precept of Islamic fraternity, brotherliness and equality. At no time and nowhere should you act against the rules and established order. This is a directive to the whole country and its organs to comprehend fully the matter of law and order, and the rules and regulations of the Islamic Republic and the Islamic government, and to act upon them to the letter. They should in no way act contrary to the rules. This is an Islamic issue. The current administration is not like the one in the deposed Shah when offences were considered as virtues. But now, contravening the rules of the Islamic government is a vice. Such acts are wicked and are not approved of by God. Islam calls for order to be maintained.
Maintaining order and observing the chain of command in the armed forces
I am telling this to all Muslims, wherever they be, and particularly to the noble people of Iran of whatever class they belong to, that there is to be no order in the disciplinary forces, the armed forces and the army, and if everybody wants to act on his own without observing the chain of command, it will be against the established Islamic practice. Islam has ordained that this order be maintained, and seniority of ranks to be respected. Nobody should do whatever he likes and thus weaken the disciplinary forces, the army, the gendarmerie, and all the other forces such as the Islamic guards. Just as the people are duty-bound to support the various forces, to cooperate with them, to observe order and not interfere in military affairs, the military personnel and those in the police force must also abide by the rules obey their commanders. The people in the Reconstruction Jihad must also abide by the rules, as well as those carrying out their tasks in other places. The Reconstruction Jihad should not interfere in any matter that is not a part of their duties. The pasdars must also not interfere in matters that do not concern them. And the army personnel must not interfere as well. And nor should others interfere in the work of the gendarmerie. Every institution must act according to the regulations relevant to it; this is an Islamic necessity now. Do not think that we have a government at present which has nothing to do with the Muslims and with Islamic objectives. All the individuals that are involved in the affairs of this country and are engaged in managing it, all belong to the" army of God". All of them are serving Islam; they should not be undermined.
The people ought to support all these organs. And all the organs should act according to the regulations that have been laid down for them. They should not act contrary to the regulations as it amounts to contravening religious law. No government bodies and no entity must interfere in the affairs of the others. The committees, for example, must not interfere in the affairs of the army; nor must the army interfere in the affairs of the committees. The executive branch of the country should not interfere in the work of the legislation, and the other bodies should not interfere in the affairs of the judiciary. They should act just as the Islamic Constitution has stipulated and for which the nation has voted. There should be no reason for every organ to work according to its own wishes and do things against the rules.
The country's progress tied to the unity and observance of regulations
If you want Islam to progress; if you want to save your country from the clutches of the superpowers and the international plunders, you must observe all the regulations relevant to every organization. No institution must have any dispute with another one; they must be as brothers and behave in a brotherly manner. I hope that all our brothers- whether Shi`ahs or Sunnis- everywhere in Iran and all the minorities that are a part of this nation, remain united and behave like brothers with one another so that the country advances and Islamic precepts take effect in it, resulting in the welfare of all the Muslims and everybody else who reside in this Islamic country. I hope that the other Islamic nations do not think that we are living in one corner (of the world) and they in another. The Qur'an looks upon you as brothers, and has forged the links of brotherhood among you. The one who is a Muslim, a believer living in the farthest spot of the world is not different from the one living in the nearest spot although the distance between East and West separates them. They are brothers and should have fraternal ties in accordance with the Qur'anic precept. They should not disperse nor be driven apart. They should consider their interests to be those of Islam and of all the (Muslim) nations. Every nation should consider the interests of another as its own. The believers, wherever they be, ought to be brothers to one another and behave in a brotherly way. They should consider any aggression by an oppressor against an Islamic country, as aggression against themselves. I hope that by observing this Islamic precept- that all people, all Muslims, are brothers- this country secures its interests, and all the Islamic countries prevail over the superpowers, and succeed in practicing Islamic precepts to the very end.
May God's peace and mercy be upon you.